Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Flash.
As expected,The Flashtakes us through the Multiverse afterEzra Miller’s Scarlett Speedster breaks the timeline. Of course, a story that brings us to different universes couldn’t be complete without mind-blowing cameos, something thatThe Flashtruly delivers. From the opening set piece to the post-credits scene,The Flashpays tribute to multiple generations of DC heroes, traveling through the history of live-action adaptations of some of our favorite characters. So, now that the movie is finally available in theaters, let’s explain all the cameos inThe Flash.
Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, and the Justice League
The opening scene ofThe Flashfirmly places the movie as a sequel toJustice League. After saving the world from Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), the Justice League remains in touch with each other to ask for help when needed. That happens once Batman (Ben Affleck) needs backup to capture criminals stealing a deadly virus from a Gotham City hospital. Besides Affleck’s Batman, the opening scene ofThe Flashalso featuresJeremy Irons’ Alfred, who works as the man in the chair for Bruce Wayne, connecting him to other Justice League members. And before the criminals are captured,Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman shows up to lend a hand.
The whole sequence explains how the Justice League keeps working together in theDC universe, even though we are on the verge of a cinematic reboot that’ll lead to thenew DCU. Throughout the film, we also get several nods toRay Fisher’s Cyborg,Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, andHenry Cavill’s Superman. And while Fisher and Cavill don’t get cameos, the presence of Affleck and Gadot right at the start ofThe Flashcreates the interconnectivity DC movies have been lacking for the last few years.
Temuera Morrison
When Barry Allen discovers that he’s messed up the timeline, he decided to attempt to reunite the Justice League to fix the error of his ways. When Barry tries to call Aquaman, he doesn’t get Arthur Curry, but rather, his father, Tom Curry. Tom is played byTemuera Morrison, reprising the role of Tom from 2018’sAquaman. Morrison will also be returning as Tom inAquaman and the Lost Kingdom, scheduled for release on December 20th.
Nicolas Cage as the Man of Steel
At the end ofThe Flash, the many versions of Barry Allen have messed around the timeline so much that different universes are crashing against each other. During this scene, we get short glimpses of who are the heroes of these alternate timelines. Due to the nature of the Multiverse,The FlashfulfillsNicolas Cage’s dream of becoming the Man of Steel. Cage almost starred in aSuperman movie directed byTim Burton. Unfortunately, the project never saw the light of day. But thanks toThe Flash, we now can see Cage as the Man of Steel fighting a giant spider.
Adam West, Burt Ward, and Cesar Romero
During the Multiverse sequence,The Flashalso uses archive footage to honorAdam West,Burt Ward, andCesar Romero. West played Batman in the classic 1960s TV show, which also featured Ward as Robin and Romero as the Joker. In a blink-and-you-might-miss moment, we can see some footage from the series and hear Romero laughing as the Clown Prince of Crime. 1966’sBatmanwas the first series based on the Dark Knight comics, and it’s great thatThe Flashhonored such an important milestone in DC history.
George Reeves’ Superman
Over a decade before Adam West became the World’s Greatest Detective in a series,George Reevesmade history by playing Superman in the first feature film inspired by DC characters and the subsequent TV show that 1951’sSuperman and the Mole Menspawned. The movie and the series' first two seasons were shot in black-and-white, explaining whyThe Flashbrings Reeves back to a universe without color.
Christopher Reeve and Helen Slater as Kryptonian Heroes
While many iconic stars have worn the Man of Steel costume,Christopher Reeveremains the favorite Kryptonian of many DC fans. Reevestarred as Superman in four movies,Superman,Superman II: The Donner Cut,Superman III, andSuperman IV: The Quest For Peace, all released between 1978 and 1987. His movies were so successful that they gave way to aSupergirlspinoff starringHelen Slater. Reeve and Slater appear side by side in one of the universes about to collide at the end ofThe Flash, adding the 80sSupermanuniverse to the DC Multiverse canon.
Teddy Sears as Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash
During the shock of dimensions, we also seeTeddy Sears' version of Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash. In DC’s continuity, Jay Garrick is the first character to become the Flash, 16 years before Barry Allen first appeared on the pages of DC Comics. Sears played Jay Garrick in the television seriesThe Flash, which also dealt with the Multiverse and alternate timelines. The star also appeared as the villains Zoom and Black Flash in the TV show.
George Clooney as the Dark Knight
After all the Multiverse extravaganza, Barry goes back in time to revert his changes to the timeline, supposedly fixing his mistakes. However, to let his father get out of jail, Barry slightly changes the position of a security camera, giving his father an alibi that would clear him from his murder accusations. Barry thinks this change is so tiny that it won’t cause repercussions in his timeline. However, he’s wrong. While the whole world seems to remain the same, Bruce Wayne is a different person, played byGeorge Clooneyinstead of Ben Affleck.Clooney donned the cape and cowl in the malignedBatman & Robin, which makes this the most unexpected cameo inThe Flash. However, with Clooney’s Batman becoming canon, we are forced to wonder ifArnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. FreezeandUma Thurman’s Poison Ivy also exist in this new DC timeline.The Flashwas always supposed to clear the slateand giveJames GunnandPeter Safranthe space to create a new storyline. Still, the Clooney cameo at the end ofThe Flashcomes with many uncomfortable questions about what’s canon from now on.
Jason Momoa as Aquaman
By the time the credits roll,The Flashis not finished with its cameos. In the only end-credits scene in the movie, Barry goes out to drink with Momoa’s Aquaman. While Arthur Curry was a heavy drinker inJustice League, he finds a noble purpose in 2018’sAquaman. So, it’s weird to see the new King of Atlantis passing out in a puddle. The scene is played for laughs, but it also ties Barry’s story with that of the other Justice League members. Now, we just need to understand how the events ofThe Flashconnect to Momoa-ledAquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
